R-Pi and icstation fm transmitters

bpratt

Senior elf
Joined
Mar 31, 2019
Messages
562
Location
Jimboomba, Queensland
Just grabbed one of these for my first show this year.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N7DIRE9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Whilst I've seen better fm transmitters, I thought for the price it would be worth a shot.

I'll be putting this next to my Pi v2, and was thinking that rather than a separate power supply, power it through the Pi USB port as the icstation can be powered from a windows computer via the USB, but documentation implies that if the usb port is in use, it then needs the audio pumped in to via that same port, rather than the 3.5mm port, where the audio would come from the Pi to it.

Would I need to chop the mini usb connector off, and just run the + - from the usb cable to the input on the icstation ?
I'm using the standard 2amp Pi power supply, is that grunty enough to run the Pi and the icstation
 

JohnsRdChristmas

Full time elf
Joined
Dec 12, 2016
Messages
131
Location
Central Coast
Yeah i baught one on ebay, seems alright, just added a 30cm wire (used a wire from some cat5 cable taped to a scap bit of pvc pipe, seems to work well, also there are 3d print files for an enclosure and buttons aswell, if you have a 3d printer,
 

AAH

I love blinky lights :)
Community project designer
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Dec 27, 2010
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4,188
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Eaglehawk
I bought a few of these to play with and there's a couple of different types. Both that I have run off the usb and both have 3.5mm audio inputs. The type that I wanted and now have but haven't actually tried appear as a usb sound card to a computer and presumably (hopefully) to a Pi. If they do appear as a usb soundcard then the data transmission between the Pi and transmitter becomes fully digital and in theory better. The type I bought required a 70cm (from memory) wire to be soldered to a pad marked "ANT" on the pcb. They can be powered comfortably from the USB on a Pi or PC.
 

bpratt

Senior elf
Joined
Mar 31, 2019
Messages
562
Location
Jimboomba, Queensland
thanks guys, the one I have says 70cm or so wire soldered to the pad on it.

Means I won't need to bother with an extra psu for it in my outside box, which isn't that big, and starting to get cluttered. :)
 
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